About the Teachers
Karen Eberenz has taught for thirty years and has been a teacher of the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) students of Pitt County Public School System for the past 16 years. As a teacher of the gifted, she has worked with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grades, and she is currently the AIG Teacher at Hope Middle School. In 2014 Karen was named Pitt County School’s AIG Teacher of the Year, and in 2015 she was named North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted. For the last eight years, Karen has worked as a Master Teacher in a summer camp for gifted students through a collaboration with Pitt County Schools and East Carolina University. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Home Economics and Masters in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Karen also received her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2010. She began her teaching career in Guilford County Schools, and spent five years teaching in Georgia as a fourth grade teacher before coming to Pitt County. Karen believes that all learners deserve rigorous engagement through challenging learning experiences where they are allowed to inquire, be creative, and grow both intellectually and emotionally on a daily basis.
Karen Eberenz has taught for thirty years and has been a teacher of the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) students of Pitt County Public School System for the past 16 years. As a teacher of the gifted, she has worked with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grades, and she is currently the AIG Teacher at Hope Middle School. In 2014 Karen was named Pitt County School’s AIG Teacher of the Year, and in 2015 she was named North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted. For the last eight years, Karen has worked as a Master Teacher in a summer camp for gifted students through a collaboration with Pitt County Schools and East Carolina University. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Home Economics and Masters in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Karen also received her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2010. She began her teaching career in Guilford County Schools, and spent five years teaching in Georgia as a fourth grade teacher before coming to Pitt County. Karen believes that all learners deserve rigorous engagement through challenging learning experiences where they are allowed to inquire, be creative, and grow both intellectually and emotionally on a daily basis.
Julie Howard is the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Teacher at W. H. Robinson Elementary where she also serves as the Second and Third Grades Reading Facilitating Teacher. In 2013, she was honored as the Pitt County Schools AIG Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for the 2013 North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted. Mrs. Howard earned her MAEd and B. S. degrees in Elementary Education at East Carolina University. She received her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2010. Mrs. Howard has taught in Pitt County Schools for all of her twenty-six years, spending the past nineteen teaching the academically and intellectually gifted and six years as a regular education teacher in fourth and second grades. For nine years she also served as a Master Teacher with the East Carolina University and Pitt County Schools AIG Summer Camp. Through this partnership she worked to create gifted education experiences for students in a week long summer camp while providing practicum experiences for teachers obtaining gifted licensure. Mrs. Howard believes that all learners are unique, and she continually seeks ways to engage students in academically rigorous learning environments which stimulate creative thinking, problem solving, and develop perseverance while allowing them to stretch and grow personally.
- Carmen Webb has been with the Pitt County Public School system for seventeen years. During this time she has spent six years as an Academically and Intellectually Gifted teacher, as well as serving as a regular education teacher to gifted cluster groups. Mrs. Webb earned her MAEd and B.S. degrees in Elementary Education at East Carolina University. For 13 years she also partnered with East Carolina University to begin a university/public school system partnership to foster gifted education during the summer while training teachers obtaining their gifted licensure. Mrs. Webb served as a Master Teacher for the first six years and served as the Camp Director for seven. She currently works as the Instructional Coach at Eastern Elementary working with K-5 teachers to provide quality educational experiences.